A Household without Mom

I’m having so much fun here! Yesterday Vicky went to work and I stayed home and knitted all morning. Her friend, Jane, picked me up early in the afternoon and took me to Ginger’s Quilt Shop. I met some ladies taking a class, signed some books, got asked a million times “where are you from?” (this blasted southern accent!) and then Ginger let me quilt some feathers on a quilt so I had a really fun time there. Vicky came by the shop after work and she and I went to dinner, came home and talked way too late again. Now I’m waiting for Jane to pick me up to take me to the Road to California quilt show. I hope I’m not a burden to Vicky . . but this is an experience I’ll remember forever.

What I’ve seen of California is just beautiful. I’ve been spared the traffic nightmares and areas that probably aren’t so pretty. The funny thing to me is that anyone who has any size yard at all has citrus trees growing . . with oranges and lemons and grapefruit waiting to be picked and eaten. They’re just like part of the landscaping. For those of us living where we pay way too much for fresh fruit that doesn’t taste like fresh fruit, can you imagine walking into the back yard, picking an orange or grapefruit for breakfast?

There must be zero humidity here. I’ve never had straight hair in my life and I cannot even get a little “turn under” on the ends!

And, as luck would have it, there’s drama at home! I try to sound sympathetic when I call home but honestly, I want to crack up. Neither Vince or Chad ever think how much I do during the day and for them, it’s just a matter of come home and everything on the homefront is rosey and waiting for the men in my life to arrive.

Yesterday Vince was sick and missed work so this morning, when I got up, I called to check on him. It was about 7:30 here so it was 9:30 at home. Called work and got the voice mail. Called home.

When the electricity at home blinks, the fax machine takes over our phone line and we have to turn it off. We keep it off and I would keep it unplugged except that I have to crawl behind a bookcase to plug it in. We receive faxes through e-mail but we send through that disfunctional machine! Before I left, I said “Vince, if the electricity blinks, all the clocks in the kitchen will be blinking so you’ll know the electricity has been off, please go downstairs and turn off the fax machine.” OK.

So, I call home this morning. The fax machine comes on. GRRRRR!! I wait til almost 8:00 (almost 10:00) at home, and I called Chad. He was up but he was in a horrible mood. I asked him if he would step into the room next to his room and unplug the fax. WHAT??? You want me to do something? He didn’t say it but that’s what he was thinking. “NO! If I unplug it, we can’t get faxes!” We don’t “get” faxes on that machine — just unplug it. So he did but then the drama started.

When Vince called me back, I told him I asked Chad to unplug the machine, so Vince would know why it didn’t work if he tried to use it. Oh, the electricity did blink yesterday and I forgot to go turn the fax off!

Seems as though Vince cannot get Speck out of the crate in the mornings. This has been an ongoing problem every time I’m out of town. Speck does not like to get up early and Vince begs instead of demanding and Speck doesn’t respond. Vince tries to get him out of the crate and Speck growls, snaps, shows his teeth and Vince backs away. Mission Accomplished says Speck. I would grab him and pull him out because I don’t think he would really bite me and if he does, he’ll only do it once!

Vince goes to the front door and rings the doorbell. What dachshund wouldn’t come running when the doorbell rings? That worked the first or second time he tried it a year ago but Speck knows that trick. So, Vince rings the doorbell over and over and over again . . at 5:45 a.m. and wakes Chad. Whew . . Glad I wasn’t there for that little confrontation!

Look at that sweet, innocent little dog! Since Vince cannot get him out of the crate so while I’m gone, he has decided that Speck will sleep on the sofa and then there will be no problem about getting him out of the crate to go for a walk in the morning.

Here’s what I think will happen. Speck gets all wrapped up in a blanket when he sleeps and tomorrow when Vince tries to unwrap him, there will be the snapping, growling and showing of teeth again and Speck will win yet another battle.

Oh dear, is it wrong to laugh at the family dramas? It always amazes me that we’re so taken for granted and yet the minute we take some time off everything falls to bits. Enjoy the show and you can spread peace and calm when you go home.

OMG… thanks for the belly laugh. My dog does the same thing…notice I said MY dog?! You could tell Vince to try what my DH did. He took the whole crate outside and tipped the dog out. Heehee…wish I had been there to see it! Thank goodness Snoopy is a LITTLE more behaved for my daughter. If she and I go somewhere overnight, I have to find other accomodations for Snoop.

It’s not always this dry in CA…you are experiencing a Santa Ana wind…. like the ones that whipped up the October fires. DD2 aka Stacey has really fine hair so on days like this, she looks like she stuck her finger in an electric socket.:c)

I am still laughing! And when you get home they will say they did just fine–yeah, right! You are having waaaaaaaaay too much fun. I remember one time when DH & I went to a hog show and I stayed at the motel and hand quilted–bliss. I stayed in my gown and put out the do not disturb sign–bliss.

It was great fun to meet you at Road today. I haven’t been to a quilt show in some years. Wow! What a lot of people and so many beautiful quilts. You were just like I expected from your blogs and I loved the accent. It really is beautiful in CA this time of year. Have fun at Road.

It was nice to meet you today, even though briefly. I am glad you are enjoying your stay in California. It isn’t always this dry, it’s because of the Santa Ana winds, we have been getting them a lot lately, used to be we only got them at certain times of the year. I love it when we get them, lower humidity means my hair blow dries up great! I might be back on Sunday, if you’re there I’ll stop by and say hi again.

Things always go much smoother when Mom is around! Good for you to leave once in awhile – you will only be more appreciated! In the meantime – sounds like you are having lots of fun and Speck is ruling the roost at home.

Hi Judy,I discovered your blog about 2 weeks ago and enjoyed reading it ever since. Today’s post just cracked me up! I too have two little dachshunds, and they are so much fun and sweet.Rhondaps I also love your quilt projects. 😎

Hi Judy: Why oh why is multitasking second nature to women and a foreign country to men?Too funny! Have a great time and enjoy Road to California for me!Janet in bright, sunny, snowy and cold coasal Nova Scotia

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